Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-12-18
LITERARY T.
"REMINISCENCES OF JEREMIAH SULLIVAN BLACK,
by his daughter, Mrs. Eary Black CLAYTON,
Price in cloth, Sl.5O; half morocco, $3.50. Chris
H. { 4 Innia

49,
"REMINISCENCES OF JEREMIAH SULLIVAN BLACK,
by his daughter, Mrs. Gary Black Clayton,
Price in cloth, Sl.5O; half morocco, $3.50. Chris
tian Publishing Company, st. Louis.
There are few books mors interesting
and profitable to the ordinary reader than
those that relate the story of the life Of a
great and good man. Such a book is Rem
iniseences Of Jeremiah Sullivan Black" by
Mary Black Clayton, which has just been
put out by the Christian Publishing Com
pany, st. Louis. The writer has made a
great success in the accomplishment Of the
task which she has assigned herself. The
book is charmingly written. In the delin-
cation of q character, the description OF a
scene, the narration of an incident, whether
pathetic or humorous, the author displays
great skill. The family from which the
great jurist springs, the facts connected
with his boyhOod, his studies, his anxieties
as a young lawyer under twenty, his awk-
ward appearance at his marriage, his
making Of q home, his visits to Campbell,
his religious views, his political principles,
his work as Attorney General and then as
Secretary of State, his relations With Gar
field, the important law cases in which he
took part, his painful accident, his love for
farming, his work on the Constitutional
convention, his visit to Europe, his opinion
of the Irish question. his last public ap-
~pearance, his unfinished reply to Jefferson
Davis, his last illness and his death, make
I'D one Of the most interesting books We
have read for many a day. In addition, 1t
contains a superior engraving. representing
Mr.. Black in his prime; and, as An appen-
dix, an extract from a speech on the rela-
tions of State and Federal Powers, and the
question Of Railroad Monopoly" deliver
ed before a committee OF the Pennsylvania
Senate"
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Down THE ISLANDS: A Voyage to the Caribbees,
By William Agnew Patton. With IS full-paRe
and 81 text-illustrstions from drawings by N.
Charles Scribner's Sons; Wheeling, Stanton d
Davenport.
To write a book of travels in which
shall be found instruction and entertain
ment, a variety of topics and an easy,
pleasant, vivacious mode of treatment, Is
no easy task, but it is one that the author
of Down the Islands" has accomplished.
His voyage to the l~ittle-known Caribbees
was undertaken in the spring, when the
vigor of the American climate drives many
people each year to seek the warm sun
shine and gentle winds of the equatorial
islands of the West Indies, and his book
will not only be indispensable to all who
contemplate making the journey, but will
be likely to induce many others to set forth
for the purpose of seeing for themselves
the region he has so graphically described.
From the narrative the reader acquires
o series of suggestive pictures of the beau
tiful island at which the traveller stopped.
A fresh, breezy style, a fund of genial h1-
NOR and a lively fancy lift the narrative
far above the ordinary lavel of books of
travel. Mr.. PatOn's book contains nu-
merous beautiful illustrations by the artist
NJ. J. Burns, who, having taken the trip
for this purpose, made many sketches OF
quaint types of character and picturesque
bits of scenery and town life, which, with
the decorative initial letters and charming
little tail-pieces, give the volume a rich
holiday appearance.
~
TEN DAYS IN A MAD-HOUsE," or Nellie Dly's
ExDerience on BlaCkWell's Island; In paper Is
cents. Norman l.. Munro, Publisher, 4apd2 70
NRndewater street, New York.
Among the very few books that will at
tract more than casual comment is Nellie
Bly's Ten Days in a Mad-House," and
this not so much from any deeply hidden
excellence Of plan or composition, but be-
cause it is a plain unvarnished tale of the
horrible experiences Of a sane patient in
one of our many m~ismanaged asylums
The book is written for n purpose, as the
author says her object was 10 examine the
| workings of a so.called benevolent institu-
ton and report them to the outside world.
How well she did her task is shown by the
fact that since her visit to BlackwelPs ISL
and asylum and the exposures consequent
thereon, the city of New York has appro-
priated 81, 000, 900 more per annum than
ever before for the care of the insane. The
gifted young authoress tells her story in a
bright, earnest and convincing manner
Its publication has already alleyiated the
mistortunes of, the inmates Of one institu-
ton. Many more unfortunates may have
cause TO thank the Jealous, brave Nellie
BY for a happier and brighter existence.
~
"MISGo AND OTHER SKETCHES" TicknOr Paper
Series, y cents; by Joel Chandler Harris. BoS-
ton, TicknOr 4 Co.
All the papers in this volume ara COM
pounded of laughter and sentiment, the
latter element somewhat predominating.
''Mingo'' is an exquisite little sketch in
which the poor whites, the quality, and
the faithful old negro are finely contrast
ed; and in this occurs one Of Mr.. Harris
most brilliant strokes, an inspiration which
We are tempted to call a fash Of genius.
Mr.. Harris feeling for the negro chsrac-
ter, beautifully exhibited in 'Mipgo," is
shown again in the sketch Of "Blue Dave"
These two short pieces are most perfectly
finished. In ''Blue Dave" there is another
happy use of the dramatic quality of un-
expectedness.
"At league Poteet's'' is a more elaborate
story, dealing with the moOnshiners of the
Georgia mountains, and embracing an in
teresting dialect study as well SIS a striking
picture of character. The humor is more
abundant and Of a fuller flavor than in the
other pieces, but the note of tragedy is
sounded also, and a pretty vein OF senti-
ment tinges the tale with an alluring color.
"A Piece of Land" certainly repays atten-
ton.
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THE OLp SOUTH AND THE NEW a series of let.
tiers by Hon. Vim. D.. Kelly. Octave cloth,
sl,25. G. I. Putnam's Sons, Publishers, New
York.
This volume, as the author says, is the
result of an earnest desire to understand
the industrial and social condition of the
people Of the Southern States. To this end
SIR. Kelly travelled extensively through
the South, comparing the condition of var
ious communities with their condition,
when he had visited them twenty yesrs
before. He embodiss the conclusions Of
his Investigations in this handsome little
-ol,noo The yoIna aud anonracu Of tho